Category Archives: Netherlands

Berlin – Geert Wilders solidarity demo flops

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Wilders Berlin demo

Over the weekend a “Solidarity with Geert Wilders” demonstration was held in Berlin. Organised by Pax Europa and Politically Incorrect, the demo was reportedly inspired by the London march in support of Wilders by the English Defence League, whose representatives attended the Berlin demo.

The event has received little coverage from its far-right supporters, no doubt because according to one report it attracted fewer than 80 people. However, photographs of the demo (carefully framed to disguise the fact that there was hardly anyone there) have now been posted, providing a helpful illustration of the sort of international links the EDL are building.

Postscript:  And while we’re on the subject of the EDL, we note that they now have a website, “English Defence League … Extra”, which claims to offer a more theoretical take on the organisation’s anti-Muslim bigotry. The latest post is a rant against the Aylesbury Carnival Against Racism that will be held in opposition to the EDL’s planned provocation in that town on May Day. The author is evidently incapable of distinguishing between Steve Bell, secretary of the Bucks health branch of UNISON who took the initiative in organising the alliance responsible for calling the anti-EDL carnival, and Steve Bell of the Communication Workers Union who is treasurer of the Stop the War Coalition. But then, UNISON or the CWU – what’s the difference? They’re all communist organisations after all.

International right-wingers gather for EU-wide minaret ban

Posted on by Bob Pitt

This Saturday, politicians representing right-wing conservative parties from across Europe will descend on the Horst Palace to discuss the dangers of Islam. Delegates from the Belgian nationalists Vlaams Belang will be there as will politicians from Geert Wilders’s Dutch Party for Freedom and the Front National of Jean-Marie Le Pen. Others from Sweden, Austria and Eastern Europe are also on the invite list.

The hosts are a relatively new group of German right-wing conservatives called Pro-NRW (an abbreviation of the German state North Rhine-Westphalia) and the goal of the conference is clear: to follow in Switzerland’s footsteps and ban minarets across Europe. And they want to use a provision of the European Union’s new Lisbon Treaty to do it.

“I don’t think that minarets are part of our heritage,” conference attendee Filip Dewinter, floor leader for Vlaams Belang in the Flemish parliament, told SPIEGEL ONLINE. “They are symbols of radical Islam. The question is whether Islam is a religion like Protestantism and Catholicism and for me it is not. It is a political system, it is a way of life and it is one that is not compatible with ours.”

Pro-NRW and the other right-wing parties were galvanized when Swiss voters last November passed a ban on the construction of new minarets in the country. Since then, the Swiss People’s Party (SVP), which launched the referendum, have become the darlings of the European right. Indeed, the SVP has loaned their controversial campaign poster, which depicts missile-like minarets jutting out of a Swiss flag behind an ominous, niqab-wearing Muslim woman, to Pro-NRW for its campaign in Germany. And anti-minaret movements on the Swiss model have sprung up around Europe.

Dewinter has recently taken a closer look at whether a provision in the new Lisbon Treaty allowing for citizens’ initiatives could be used to push through a Europe-wide ban on the construction of minarets. On Saturday, delegates at the Anti-Minaret Conference will discuss whether to begin collecting the 1 million signatures such a path would require.

Spiegel, 26 March 2010

Muslim woman sues local leader of Wilders’ party

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A Muslim woman from Almere is suing local Freedom Party leader Raymond de Roon for discrimination and inciting hatred.

One of the Freedom Party’s stated aims in Almere is a ban on headscarves in the council house and other publicly-funded institutions.

Ayse Bayrak-de Jager said: “I became a Muslim and I chose to wear a headscarf. My headscarf is part of my identity and I’m not taking it off. I only take my clothes off for one man and that’s my husband.”

Even though the Freedom Party is the largest party in Almere, it is by no means certain that the council will introduce a headscarf ban. Mr De Roon abandoned council talks last week when none of the other political parties was prepared to support his party on this issue.

Radio Netherlands, 22 March 2010

Netherlands: mosque smeared with blood

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A mosque in the Selwerd neighborhood of Groningen was smeared with blood Tuesday night, police reports. In addition to the blood, animal innards and the head of a wild boar were found by the mosque.

The Groningen city council responded in shock to the attack Thursday. “We are deeply affected, because Groningen hadn’t known such outrages till now. Only expressions of indignation and disgust are proper here,” according to deputy mayor Frank de Vries. “This doesn’t belong in our city. We immediately promised the mosque board our support.”

The police opened an investigation and will keep extra watch for the mosque and the area.

Islam in Europe, 18 March 2010

US State Department report: Europe biased against Muslims

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The annual report of US State Department on human rights has warned of increasing concern that discrimination against Muslims was on the rise in Europe.

The human rights report for 2009 cited Switzerland’s ban on the construction of minarets on mosques enacted in November, as well as continued bans or restrictions on head scarves and burqa worn by Muslims in France, Germany and the Netherlands.

The report said: “Discrimination against Muslims in Europe has been an increasing concern.” Germany and the Netherlands have prohibitions against teachers wearing head scarves or burqa while on the job, and France bans the wearing of the religious garb in public, the report said.

The report particularly focused on problems in the Netherlands, where Muslims number about 850,000, saying that Muslims face societal resentment based on the belief that Islam is not compatible with Western values.

The report blamed right-wing politicians for playing a role in fuelling the resentment. It said: “Major incidents of violence against Muslims were rare, but minor incidents, including intimidation, brawls, vandalism, and graffiti with abusive language, were common.”

Al Jazeera, 11 March 2010

Anti-racists confront fascist’s supporters

Posted on by Bob Pitt

UAF Wilders demo

Anti-fascist demonstrators blockaded the road outside Parliament yesterday in an attempt to prevent a march in support of far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders.

The Freedom Party leader, who attempted to enter the country last February but was detained on landing at Heathrow airport, was in Parliament yesterday at the invitation of UK Independence Party leader Lord Pearson and cross-bencher Baroness Cox to show his anti-Islamic film Fitna at the House of Lords.

Police arrested several protesters from a group who gathered in Millbank in a bid to stop the far-right English Defence League marching past Parliament in support of Mr Wilders.

Eyewitnesses claimed that police had used illegal headlock techniques to break the human chain of protesters in the road, including on a disabled member of the crowd. One young woman who was dragged away complained of high blood pressure as officers continued to lock her arms over her head – despite being horizontal on the ground.

Originally, Unite Against Fascism had announced an emergency assembly of activists opposite Parliament to protest against the EDL march. But a large group of anti-racists spontaneously took to the road and began marching towards the EDL, chanting: “These streets are our streets.” With police “kettling” their progress, a stand-off ensued with at least 150 anti-fascists blockading the road for three hours.

Morning Star, 6 February 2010

See also Socialist Worker, 5 March 2010

Geert Wilders on course to be next Dutch prime minister

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Geert Wilders extremistThe far-right politician Geert Wilders is poised to become the next Dutch prime minister after making major gains in regional elections.

Municipal results announced on Thursday put his party in first place in Almere, a region near Amsterdam and second in The Hague, one the country’s largest cities and the seat of the Dutch government. If repeated in national elections on June 9, the Freedom Party could win 27 out of 150 seats, becoming the largest single party and putting him in line to become prime minister and form a new government.

Mr Wilders has called Islam a backward religion, wants a ban on headscarves in public life and has compared the Koran to Hitler’s Mein Kampf.

“We are going to conquer the entire country we are going to be the biggest party in the country,” he said after the vote. “The leftist elite still believes in multiculturalism, coddling criminals, a European superstate and high taxes. But the rest of the Netherlands thinks differently. That silent majority now has a voice.”

Daily Telegraph, 5 March 2010

Geert Wilders anti-Islam film gets House of Lords screening

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL England Needs a Gert

The controversial far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders appeared at the House of Lords today to screen an anti-Islam film and denounce the religion as “totalitarian” and incompatible with democracy.

The visit, which was originally planned for last year, sparked demonstrations from anti-fascists and a show of support from the far-right English Defence League.

Continue reading →

Wilders says headscarf ban will be price of coalition agreement

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Wilders not wantedA ban on headscarves for city council workers and in all institutions and clubs which get local authority money will be the most important point in the PVV’s negotiations to join governing coalitions in Almere and the Hague, says party leader Geert Wilders.

Speaking to RTL news, Wilders said the ban would be central to talks to form new local authority executives in the only two cities where the party is contesting the March 3 local elections. The ban will apply to “all council offices and all other institutions and clubs which get even one cent of council money,” he said.

The PVV is tipped to emerge as the biggest party in Almere and second biggest in the Hague.

Wilders brought up the ban again in a speech to supporters in Almere, where he entered the room to the Rocky theme tune Eye of the Tiger.

The ban will not apply to other religious items such as Christian crosses and Jewish skull caps because these are symbols of our own Dutch culture, Wilders said in his speech, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd.

Dutch News, 26 February 2010